Choice (Chippendale, Australia) articles from October 2005

Choice (Chippendale, Australia) archives from October 2005

A non-stick shirt?(choice cuts)
October 1, 2005... The VAN HEUSEN Stain Shield shirt ($59.95) is treated with Teflon and is claimed to repel oil- and water-based liquid stains. If it works, it would be great for those occasions when you manage to throw cappuccino all over your clean white shirt...

Mobile spam.(choice cuts)
October 1, 2005... Unsolicited commercial messages, more commonly called spam, have become the scourge of email inboxes everywhere. Now we're also beginning to see it on mobile phones--and if you're not careful it could end up costing you money. Computer...

Dummy danger.(choice cuts)
October 1, 2005... Kerrie-Ann Parsons of Townsville wrote to us about an alarming incident when her son was using a NUK Starlight Silicone Soother (dummy)--see the photo, right. She went to check on six-month-old Alexander, who was settling down to sleep, and...

Want to work for CHOICE?(choice cuts)
October 1, 2005... If you live in Sydney and are looking for part-time casual work that's both interesting and challenging, CHOICE and CHOICE Online could have just the job for you. We're looking for someone to check data and reports for publication. You...

Can you help? Investing in retirement.
October 1, 2005... We all strive for financial independence in retirement, but how can you make it happen? Please let our sister magazine, CHOICE Money & Rights, know about your experiences. For example, are you retired with an investment portfolio? Do you invest...

Wipe and chuck?(choice cuts)(disposable cleaning wipes)
October 1, 2005... According to a recent newspaper report in the US, consumers in North America bought around 83,000 tons of disposable wipes last year. That's about 9000 18-wheel semi-trailers full; about 30% of these were meant for home cleaning. With ever more...

German dogs mark I--tracing dog poo.(WORLD CONSUMER SNAPSHOT)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... The dogs of Dresden could soon land their owners in a great big pile of trouble if they aren't careful, reports The Guardian. According to the UK paper, politicians in this eastern German city want to force the owners of the city's 12,000 dogs...

German dogs mark II--travelling in cars.(WORLD CONSUMER SNAPSHOT)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... On more serious dog matters, Germany's Test magazine reminds readers that all animals travelling unsecured in a car pose a significant risk in an accident and should therefore be secured appropriately. In a crash at 48 km/h, Test points out,...

Banana armour.(WORLD CONSUMER SNAPSHOT)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Annoyed by bruised bananas in your lunch pack? Which? magazine in the UK found the BananaGuard, a plastic, banana-shaped case, designed to fit most bananas. It has many small holes for ventilation, a sturdy locking mechanism and sells from...

Unscrupulous sales tactics 3.(your letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2005... My 82-year-old mother is partially deaf, has failing eyesight and lives alone. One Saturday afternoon she was door-knocked about purchasing a 3 mobile phone. Told it would cost her $9 per month, she repeatedly said she wasn't interested....

Suspect salons.(your letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2005... As a nail technician and educator, I'm concerned about the number of nail salons popping up all over Australia. Many of them employ staff with no formal training, and use dangerous substances banned in the USA. Their products may not comply...

Helen Donovan, via email, awards a 'Thumbs Up, to SWATCH.(THUMBS UP!)
October 1, 2005... Helen Donovan, via email, awards a 'Thumbs Up, to SWATCH. When the casing holding snapped on the SWATCH her children had given her for Mother's Day last year, SWATCH happily replaced it with a brand-new identical one, even though she had no...

Letter of the month.(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2005... We want to hear from you--your experiences help our research and often let other readers know about scams and rip-offs. Positive outcomes you've had to a complaint you took to a manufacturer, retailer, importer or tradesperson interest us, too....

Toxin twaddle: move over Atkins--detox is the hottest fad in town.(REPORT: Detox kits)(Cover Story)
October 1, 2005... Been burning the candle at both ends? 'Detox' or 'liver cleansing' diets have been around for years. Put simply, their intended effect is to purge the body of a supposed build-up of toxins, in order to regain good health. Some of these diets...

Something for everyone: from very small to pretty bulky cameras.(UPDATE: Digital cameras)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2005... There are 46 cameras under $800 m our current test. They vary in shape from the largish conventional block with a right-hand grip to the more stylish slim, lightweight models. But don't let looks be your only guide when choosing a camera. There...

Finding a good pest manager: the issues you need to be aware of when getting quotes for an inspection and termite management plan.(REPORT: Termites)
October 1, 2005... They can build huge earthen mounds with elaborate tunnels inside, or hollow out majestic trees. But only around 30 of the more than 350 termite species in Australia are of concern to home owners, as they can eat the timber your home is built...

Healthier fast-food options?(food bites)
October 1, 2005... We all know fast food is something we should eat in moderation, but when you're on the road or in a hurry, there's no denying the convenience. We've lobbied for healthier choices and now some fast-food chains have more than burgers and chips on...

Weigh up your options: many bathroom scales now also measure body fat, but how good are they, and is it something we really need to know?(TEST: Body fat scales)
October 1, 2005... IN A NUTSHELL * Body fat percentage is a better indicator of health than weight, and you can best use body fat scales to monitor change in your body composition over time. * The body fat scales on test generally gave a goad estimation...

RIP or rip-off? What's involved in a funeral, and how can you avoid paying too much?(REPORT: Funerals)
October 1, 2005... It's been estimated that the average cost of a funeral is around $4000-$7000, although prices can range from less than $2000 to tens of thousands of dollars. We rang funeral directors around Australia and found no consistent differences between...

Home movies: there's no need to go out to get a DVD any more--you can have them sent in the mail.(TRIAL: Online DVD rental services)
October 1, 2005... Gone are the days when you'd approach the letterbox with excitement--now it's just junk mail or bills. But this can change if you subscribe to an online DVD rental service that mails you your favourite movies. CHOICE tried five online DVD...

Juice at home: don't expect to get a good-quality juicer at a bargain-basement price.(TEST: Juicers)
October 1, 2005... Delicious, refreshing and healthy--there's nothing quite like fresh juice. And with summer coming you may be thinking of getting a juice extractor so you can whip up your favourite juice at home. We tested 10 juice extractors ranging in...

'Unlimited' broadband can have limits.(hip pocket)
October 1, 2005... The Office of Fair Trading (OFT)in Queensland received more than 50 complaints in the last financial year from consumers who thought the internet service they received was less than they paid for. "Internet service providers that advertise...

Want more money info?(hip pocket)
October 1, 2005... CHOICE Money & Rights magazine is published six times a year and contains more information on money topics (and your consumer rights) than we could ever fir into CHOICE. To subscribe call 1800 069 552 toll-free or go to...

Ethical investment comes of age.(hip pocket)
October 1, 2005... Sustainable responsible investment (SRI) is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the Australian financial marketplace, driven by media and consumer interest. Recent research showed that 85% of Australian and Asian investment managers think SRI...

Cool living m-m-m-m-m: it's delightfully cool.(TEST: Split-system inverter air conditioners)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2005... Inverters, on the other hand, can operate at various levels up to their maximum capacity. They remain switched on and adjust their working capacity in order to maintain the room temperature. Their manufacturers claim this makes them more...

Safe eating: from cheap and cheerful to expensive and versatile, we found five high chairs to recommend.(TEST: High chairs)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2005... If you're in the market for a new high chair, here's some good news: we can recommend tire models that passed all our safety tests (taken from the international standard for high chairs), while the other four on test only revealed some minor...

The CHOICE Guide to Baby Products: 10th edition of our bestseller.(CHOICE BOOKS)
October 1, 2005... Trustworthy buying advice for your baby... Leave the guesswork behind with the essential buying guide for parents. Now in its tent edition, The CHOICE Guide to Baby Products has been a reliable source of information for parents since 1990....

Recalls & bans.
October 1, 2005... Nowadays there are so many product recalls we may not be able to print all of them in CHOICE. For comprehensive recall information go to the Product Recalls Australia website: www.recalls.gov.au. If you don't have web access, call the Product...

Hard word.
October 1, 2005... Dumbing down gone too far? TIP To check that your dish is 6 cup, pour 6 cups cold water into the dish. If the water fills the dish you know it is 6-cup. IF ONCE WASN'T ENOUGH... Here's your chance to experience some of the...